Bhajman Behera new general secretary of LJP

Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (UNI) Former Union Minister Bhajman Behera has been appointed the new national general secretary of the lok Janashakti Party(LJP).

Mr Behera, a former BSP leader, was today formally inducted into the party at a rally here and his appointment as the party's new general secretary was announced by Union Minister and LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan at a news conference here.

Mr Paswan also announced former BJP leader Shanti Das as the party's new national secretary.

Both Mr Behera and Ms Das along with their hundreds of supporters were today formally inducted into the party at a rally here in presence of Mr Paswan.

Mr Paswan demanded immediate release of party's Orissa unit president Shibani Sengupta and withdrawal of all cases filed against her and other party workers by the Orissa government.

He told newspersons that Ms Sengupta and several other LJP activists were arrested and later sent to jail following a clash between Dalits and upper caste people in Cuttack over the erection of a puja pandal.

Mr Paswan said soon a three-member delegation of the party would meet Ms Shivani, who was now lodged in a jail to take up her case, adding that he would personally apprise the matter to the President and Prime Minister on his return to New Delhi.